News
October is Firewood Month!
October is Firewood Month! Did you know every person who uses the Bridger-Teton National Forest plays a vital role in protecting the forest land we all love? Enjoying a campfire at the conclusion of a day’s activities could bring some unintended consequences. Invasive and destructive pests can be transported inside of firewood that is brought in from out of the area.
Invasive Species Prevention and Awareness Starts in the Classroom
Wyoming Weed and Pest Council has partnered with the Wyoming Alliance for Environmental Education to develop a comprehensive invasive species curriculum for first to fifth-grade students. A series of three, interconnected lessons have been developed for each grade level. The lessons are highly interactive, grade-level appropriate and develop progressively higher levels of understanding about invasive species while addressing relevant Wyoming State Science Standards.
Mosquito Habitats - Springtime
As summer nears and temperatures begin to rise throughout the Valley, water from snowmelt can create rearing habitat for larval mosquitoes. The habitat requirements for larval mosquitoes vary across species and mosquitoes have learned to take advantage of all different types of habitat. Some mosquito species prefer ephemeral habitats, such as pooling snowmelt, others require permanent water sources like grassy shallow pond edges. In the spring, our two biggest sources of mosquito habitat are snowmelt pools and water springing up as the water table rises from melting snowpack.
Invasive Species | Siberian Peashrub
Siberian peashrub, as its name implies, is a shrub or small tree. It has compound leaves, and, while the leaflets are arranged opposite one another, the leaves are alternate on the stem. It may have sharp, stiff stipules. This plant produces yellow pea flowers in the spring that turn into 1-2-inch-long peapods. Because it spreads by both seeds and roots, it is often found in large stands or hedgerows.
Moss Balls Carrying Zebra Mussels
We warned back in March 2021 that Marimo Moss Balls were contaminated with Zebra Mussels. These moss balls are generally sold at PetCo. and PetSmart and other pet stores. If you are unfamiliar with Zebra Mussels we want to urge how serious of an impact these invasive species can have on our waterways in Wyoming.
Meet our Team: Amy Girard
Amy Girard Job Title: Mosquito Program CoordinatorWhere were you born and raised and what brought you to Teton County?I was born in Bad Axe, Michigan and moved out west in 2005. While studying the effects of sagebrush treatments on small mammal communities in lovely Randolph, Utah I met my husband to be. We decided to ride his dirt bike up to Jackson one weekend to check out the mythical Tetons for the day. Once we saw the mountains, we knew it was a place we needed to spend more time. We have left a few times since then for jobs and grad school, but we have always been drawn back to this special place.
TCWP’s Response to COVID-19
Teton County Weed and Pest District reminds that their mission strives for the protection of human health. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, TCWP’s mission stands more than ever before. TCWP will continually serve the community but from a safe distance. Staff are working hard to meet the community’s needs while ensuring a successful recovery from the pandemic.
Annual 4th Grade Wildlife Expo persists
Since 2003, Teton County Weed and Pest District has helped to host the annual Wildlife Expo for Teton County 4th graders and their teachers.Each spring, a few hundred 4th graders would gather to learn from a host of local natural resource entities that were part of the Jackson Hole Weed Management Association. In addition to TCWP, the JHWMA included BTNF, GTNP, WGF, SRF, the National Elk Refuge, the Cougar fund, and any organization for whom invasive plants were a threat to the resource they managed.
TCWP Will Test Wastewater for COVID-19
A partnership between Teton County Weed and Pest District , the Teton County Health Department, and the Town of Jackson was created to determine a way to test the wastewater from the Town of Jackson for COVID-19. Weed and Pest worked with the Teton County Health Department to ensure they had the correct equipment and personal protective equipment to run the wastewater samples in-house.